JOHN FOGARTY: Kerry club dominance exposes inequalities

The emotion on Nathan Breen’s face as he stood on the Hogan Stand podium on Saturday said it all. Looking down on his Beaufort team-mates, the joy of the captain who had moved to the home of his father after spending his first 13 years in Wales was unbridled.

A couple of hours later after their All-Ireland junior football success, there were similar scenes as their neighbours 15 kilometres up the road Kilcummin were celebrating their intermediate title. Former GAA president and club member Seán Kelly, who had championed the lower grade All-Irelands by bringing the finals to Croke Park 13 years ago, joined captain Brendan Kealy soon after the cup presentation.

Nine All-Ireland junior titles and two final appearances in 18 years and six All-Ireland intermediate crowns and two runners-up, Kerry’s dominance of the competitions is well known. The county have also produced 15 of the 18 Munster junior championships and 12 of the 16 provincial intermediates. If they were Dublin, there would be calls for them to split.